Virtual hugs, prayers and best wishes to fellow writer and friend McPenname as she and her household struggle with multiple cases of Covid19, including McPenname herself. The same goes to everyone reading this who has, is or (shudders) will struggle through the virus.

Happy New Year! Let's hope, pray and do what we can to make 2021 a better year for ourselves and each other. Stay healthy, wear our masks, wash hands, keep our distance, stay home (for now, looking forward to 'after' ;) ) and when available, get vaccinated. Please!

I'm looking forward to the January 19th airing of not one but TWO NCIS episodes here, including one that features Tim and Delilah. YAY!

Chapter 10

They didn't hang around outside long as waves of heat were already shimmering off the pavement. As Ken and Avery were staying overnight, the adults decided to bring their overnight bags and the boys' suitcases in now and leave the rest until the sun was down.

Joselyn was awake and wanted to eat but Jethro waved Ellie off, he'd get his littlest grandbaby fed while her mommy was playing hostess. Nearly 7 months, Joselyn knew her grandfather well and smiled as he picked her up, displaying her new tooth.

After they'd cooled off and had a quick tour of the house, the highlight being the boys' room, the two families sat down for lunch. After that, Daddy and Poppy took the Gibbs' kids to the pool while Ellie waited for the Mays to change into their swim suits, making sure they had plenty of sunscreen.

Avery smiled, "We're used to that. Sean burns easily followed by Tessa. Mark doesn't so much and now I understand why."

Ellie laughed, "The pale skin comes from Tim's maternal grandfather who is probably over at the pool already. You'll know as soon as you see him. Ken, Charlie Fielding will be there too, he's excited about seeing you and the boys. Avery?"

Avery smiled, "I won't have a problem, Ellie, thanks."

Ellie nodded and resumed her explanations, "Charlie's family name is Uncle Charlie, feel free to have the boys call him that, all the kids do. As far as our kids, like Mark, Henry resembles Jethro and his dad Jackson Gibbs and doesn't burn as easily. Lia and Mackie don't burn easily although with Mackie I think that's also due to my genes. Still, we apply plenty of sunscreen to all the kids and we all wear hats."

"Oh good. We do too but the boys don't always want to."

Ellie huffed, "No choice in our family. Each one of us either wears a hat or doesn't get to go swimming or biking or whatever the activity. And with all the doctors in the family, that only has to be said once for all of us to follow orders!"

Ellie led them across to the play center where Ken and Avery couldn't help but notice the 12-ft. high fence with a locked gate. Inside the fence, the big pool and the toddler pool were inside another fence, this one 8-ft., and locked gate. Avery also noticed security cameras and a red box with a pull-down handle on each fence, Ellie explained the boxes were alarms to be pulled in case of trouble. Although there was always at least one adult with the children and none of them swam alone, the group decided to install the alarms for any trouble they hadn't foreseen.

Outside the pool fence was a paved path meant for little people on roller skates, pedal cars or big wheels, tricycles or their own feet. The rest of the area was covered with various modes of play equipment, from baby to older kid swings, three sizes and shapes of slides, a tetherball on a tall metal pole, a hopscotch painted onto the pavement, basic gymnastic equipment, a teeter-totter, a shaded area called a pergola that provided shade for hammocks, bean bag chairs, a table and chairs, with covered boxes of books and games, a ping-pong table and a spray mister to keep the area cool.

Lest the current teens find the area too young for them, there was a basketball hoop, ping pong table and batting cage with a fence to stop the softballs from careening through the rest of the play center. The large oak tree had a couple of tire swings hanging from it and a cleverly concealed treehouse. The crowning glory of the play center was the 2-story fort built by Poppy, Uncle Tobias and Grandpa Jerry. The three men had a wonderful time building it, including everything the kids wanted and several things they themselves wished for as kids. The toddlers and preschoolers played on the 1st floor while the older kids had the upper floor.

Ken noticed a track set into the concrete, running around the edge of the pool deck and asked about it. Tim grinned, "That's where the climate control dome goes, so we can swim year-round." He pointed to the taller fence and Ken saw it had a tubing of some sort that ran the circumference, "We also have a cover for the entire area so the kids can play out here pretty much all the time. We haven't put in a solar heater yet, but we'll get around to that. Tell you the truth, we use the covers as much in the summer as in the winter. It's just too hot to be out here for very long. We have playrooms in our homes but we all like our kids to have plenty of fresh air and physical play. This way all the kids can play together, whereas the playrooms aren't big enough for the whole crowd."

Tim laughed, "Or they won't be; they are now while the youngest 6 are still babies but another year or two and we'd all need more room. Rather than turn our entire houses into playrooms, as a group we decided to build this play center and get it as close to year-round usage as possible."

The Mays were impressed and then laughed as their boys jumped into the pool. They quickly followed them in and swam a little although that was difficult as the pool was crowded.

They were surprised several minutes later when they heard a shrill whistle. Poppy grinned as heads popped up out of the water. "Sean, Mark, Avery, Ken, on weekends when the adults are home, we have times set aside for adults only in the pool. That means everyone under the age of 18 gets out and finds something else to do for 60 minutes, one hour. I strongly recommend drying off in the shade over there." Poppy pointed to the pergola. "There are cold drinks and snacks in the coolers there, make sure you have something to drink, it's easy to get dehydrated even when you're in the water. If you need a bathroom, there are two stalls next to the basketball hoop. There are plenty of games, toys and books, help yourselves.

"Lastly, we have a rule about adult swim: no whining about having to leave the pool. New kids get a one-time pass, other kids, you know the rules. Three whines about adult swim and you're out for the day. Ok, kids, time to get out. When it's time to get back in, you'll hear another whistle."

Sean and Mark looked at each other, eyes wide. They'd have to be careful not to whine, there was no way they wanted to lose their pool privileges for a whole day! Mark raised his hand and Poppy smiled at him, "Yes, Mark?"

"That's for the pool, right, Poppy? We wouldn't get kicked out of the whole play center?"

"Correct, you would not."

Avery and Ken turned their heads to hide their laughter, their boys would be fine here. They could have told Mark the ban would not include the entire play center, otherwise at least one parent or child-minder would have to leave too. When Avery whispered that the forbidden whines only pertained to the adult swim times, Ken snorted and whispered back that he wondered if that helped keep down the overall amount of whining. Both were impressed that it also applied to the teens.

The rest of the day passed quickly as more of the cul-de-sac families appeared in the play center and were introduced to the Mays. Sean and Mark were in seventh heaven with so many kids to play with. Ty and Brynie already liked them and Victoria, Hannah, Teddy and the younger kids followed their lead. The twins were in awe of Callum joining in the fun with them. He was a teenager hanging out with them, that just didn't happen in their world.

Ainsley and Matt were also there but in the twins' eyes they qualified as adults. That is until they had to get out for another adult swim and they spotted Ainsley making a face, opening her mouth to say something and then snapping it shut before words could escape. When the other kids giggled, Ainsley grinned at them, putting a finger to her lips in a "please don't tell" gesture.

People came and went as babies woke, needed to eat, sleep or be changed. Colonel Fielding, who asked to be called Charlie by Avery and Ken and Uncle Charlie by the boys, arrived with Eleni and spent a few happy minutes touting the wonders of living on the ranch. Ken was relieved, he'd been a little wary of Delilah's father.

Avery noticed that during adult swim, either an adult or one of the teens always made sure the kids had something to drink and went to the bathroom. Mostly it seemed to be one of the older adults as they had the pool to themselves all week and liked to spend time with the kids. At one point, Avery noticed one of Tim's grandmothers, she thought it was Penny, sitting at the table with the preschoolers and toddlers, coloring away with them. The other great-grandmother was playing tetherball with two little boys barely tall enough to reach the ball as it swung around to them. That was Grammie, Arin and Teddy.

By late afternoon, very few people were still in the pool. When the family doctors arrived, they decreed that anyone who'd been in the pool more than four hours total had had enough sun for the day. Ken laughed at the look Tim sent his sister the doctor, who singled him out. Like ducklings, his kids followed him up the steps of the pool, Henry and Lia followed by Brynie, Ty, Sean and Mark. Ellie, Mackie and Joselyn were already in the house, the babies having naps.

Back in the house, Ellie, who'd already showered and changed, watched the kids while the three adults took quick showers. Then it was the kids' turn and the Mays were once again impressed as the Gibbs kids, even the 2 not-quite-3-year-olds, brought their wet suits and towels to the laundry room after they were dressed. There was an old-fashioned tub-style sink in there and once all the wet suits were in, Tim filled it up, added baby detergent and let everything soak. When Avery commented, he smiled, "Need to get the chlorine out but putting them in the washer every day wears them out too fast. We soak them in cold water and gentle detergent, rinse them well and hang them out to dry in the shade. They'll be dry by the time we go to bed tonight."

There'd been some discussion of having an All Family barbecue to welcome the boys on Saturday night but ultimately Tim and Ellie decided against it. The boys would be tired and probably want to spend their evening hours with their dad before he left. With Avery along, they felt that decision was even more appropriate.

Instead of the whole family, Grandpa, Poppy, Nonny, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Matt, Uncle Charlie and Eleni joined them for dinner. Tim and Poppy grilled marinated chicken, along with vegetable kabobs, which were simple and liked by the whole family. Sean and Mark didn't seem to know what to think when Ty, Brynie and even the littles made happy noises about eating vegetables, they looked at each other, bravely taking their first bites. Their parents watched curiously and were glad to see the boys seemed to like the grilled veggies.

After dinner and before dessert, Avery, Ellie, Kelly and Shannon walked with the children to the barn to see the horses, sheep, goats, llamas and Henry's favorite 'apakas' while the men unloaded the twins' bicycles and other belongings from the travel trailer. The group reunited for ice cream with their choice of topping. When their offer to do the cleanup was refused, the Mays gratefully retired to their guestroom for a family chat with Tessa.